Coniogramme emeiensis

Mount Emei Bamboo Fern Pteridaceae

A beautifully graphic fern whose fresh green fronds are elegantly striped and splashed with golden yellow, giving it something of the appearance of a giant, rather sophisticated zebra fern. Coniogramme emeiensis forms a slowly expanding clump of upright to arching, pinnate fronds, each broad pinna marked by yellow-green bands following the veins. The effect is particularly luminous in shade, where the foliage seems almost to catch and reflect the available light. The species was described from Mount Emei in Sichuan, China, and its natural range extends through south-central and south-eastern China into north-western Myanmar, where it occurs principally in temperate habitats. 

Despite its exotic appearance, it has proved a surprisingly useful garden fern. Give it partial shade, humus-rich soil and reliable moisture, but with good drainage; the RHS recommends moist but well-drained conditions and rates it H4.  It is semi-evergreen in Britain, retaining its fronds through mild winters but losing some or all foliage after harder frosts before producing fresh growth in spring. A particularly handsome fern for woodland planting, shaded borders and the edge of paths, where its boldly marked foliage provides a welcome contrast to the softer textures of ordinary woodland ferns.

Distribution: South-central and south-eastern China to north-western Myanmar; including the Mount Emei region of Sichuan.
Flowering: Fern — no flowers
Hardiness: H4, approximately −10 to −5°C
Height: 50–100 cm
Spread: 50–100 cm